A long road: Weed goes on sale years after approval in Maine

SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Mainers are getting their first opportunity to legally buy marijuana for adult recreational use, but a supply shortage is a potential buzzkill.

Retailers blame the pandemic and a limited number of licensed manufacturers for reducing the variety of products available on Friday, the opening day. Licenses were issued only a month ago.

That didn't dampen Matt Bourgeois' enthusiasm for hitting two newly opening cannabis shops in South Portland.

“It's the history that I'm excited about,” said Bourgeois, 40, of Hampton, New Hampshire, who wasn't worried about limited products. “I'd like to take part in the historic moment. It's important to me.”

Maine's road to becoming the 10th state allowing the retail sale of marijuana for recreational use was exceptionally arduous.

A referendum was approved nearly four years ago, in November 2016, but the effort to set up a method for legally purchasing cannabis dragged on through two vetoes by the governor, two legislative rewrites, and a change in administrations.

Then came the coronavirus pandemic that created further delays as the state determined how to safely open stores.

Under state law, marijuana growers and product suppliers have to be licensed, and the products have to be certified by a state-licensed lab. For now, there are only a handful of manufacturers, and one laboratory.

And there are only seven stores at present, though the Maine Office of Marijuana Policy will be licensing more in coming months.

That's a bit of a disappointment for advocates. But it's better than nothing and it represents a starting point, said David Boyer, an independent marijuana industry consultant in Maine.

“To the state’s credit, there’s something to be said for planting a flag and breaking the ice and...